BUSINESS
How an agri-loans discrepancy has hurt India’s Top 3 private banks
Flaws were detected by the RBI on how Axis Bank, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank treated their agriculture loans as priority sector loans in the annual supervision for FY25, necessitating the banks to make higher provisions.
BUSINESS
Credit-linked insurance shows green shoots after MFI-led pullback
With MFI credit showing early signs of revival, insurers expect credit-linked protection to regain momentum, even as they remain wary of past risks
BUSINESS
Q3FY26 Life Insurance review: Early persistency weakens even as long-term policy retention improves at life insurers
While long-term policy retention remains healthy, brokerages cautioned that deterioration in recent cohorts could become a key monitorable for the sector over the coming quarters
BUSINESS
RBI directs ICICI Bank to make additional provisions on agri priority sector loans
ICICI Bank described the provisioning as a one-time regulatory adjustment, stating that it does not expect further provisions on this portfolio beyond Q3 FY26
BUSINESS
ICICI Bank board approves 2-year extension for CEO Sandeep Bakhshi
The decision was taken by the bank’s board at its meeting held on January 17, and is subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, according to an exchange filing
BUSINESS
Federal Bank sees 50 bps CRAR boost from Blackstone tranche: MD & CEO KVS Manian
Responding to another query by Moneycontrol on the market speculation around Federal Bank being among the bidders for select Deutsche Bank India retail and wealth portfolios, Manian said it continues to evaluate inorganic opportunities but has no immediate transactions under consideration
BUDGET
Budget 2026 Outlook: Insurers, lenders seek tax parity, regulatory clarity and deeper financial inclusion push
Industry flags annuity taxation, composite licensing, micro-insurance, MSME credit access and digital lending safeguards as key Budget priorities
BUSINESS
Universal Sompo’s health portfolio up 8% after GST cut: MD Sharad Mathur
The company is targeting a premium income of Rs 6,000 crore in FY26, compared with Rs 5,000 crore in the previous financial year
COMPANIES-2
Monoline insurance licences likely on IRDAI’s agenda for 2026
While no formal timeline has been announced, executives said monoline and sector-specific licensing is likely to feature on IRDAI’s policy agenda, 2026 emerging as a potential window for implementation
BUSINESS
IRDAI, insurers likely in talks to relax investment rules amidst amendments to Insurance Act
This potential development comes at a time when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), too, recently flagged concentration risk in government securities
BUSINESS
Budget 2026 Outlook: Insurance sector seeks tax parity, pension reform and micro-insurance push
Industry expects clarity on annuities, composite licensing, AI and telematics, and micro insurance
BUSINESS
IRDAI likely working on commission cap rules, draft norms expected in 4 months
Insurers, intermediaries asked to brace for tighter oversight on payouts after Insurance Act amendments
BANKING
2026 Insurance Outlook: Insurance reforms, capital rules to take centre stage
Here is a list of reforms to watch out for
BUSINESS
Stablecoin market triples to $300 billion in 2 years, RBI flags risks to monetary sovereignty
Regulators warn that privately issued digital money could undermine trust, trigger runs and weaken monetary policy transmission
BUSINESS
Insurers cut sovereign bond share to 59.7%, raise equity exposure to Rs 16.6 lakh crore
Within insurers’ portfolios, the share of G-Secs declined marginally to 39.5 percent from 40.3 percent, while SGS fell to 20.2 percent from 21.4 percent
BUSINESS
Health insurance claims jump 11% YoY to Rs 94,248 crore in FY25, cashless settlements dominate
Cashless settlements accounted for 58 percent of claims by number and 66 percent by value, highlighting the growing preference for hassle-free claim processing
BUSINESS
India’s reinsurance market grows 11% to Rs 1.12 lakh crore in FY25
During FY25, the gross reinsurance premium written by Indian reinsurers and FRBs stood at Rs 69,228.64 crore. Of this, domestic business continued to dominate, accounting for nearly 85 percent of the total, while foreign business contributed the remaining share
BUSINESS
Health insurance drives non-life premium growth, contributes 41.4% of total premium in FY25
Among various segments under the non-life insurance business, health insurance remained the largest contributor with a share of 41.42% of the total premium in 2024-25, up from 40.29% in FY24
BUSINESS
Life insurers’ commission payout rises 18% in FY25, outpaces premium growth
The total commission outgo rose 18 percent year-on-year in 2024–25, significantly outpacing the 6.73 percent growth recorded in total premiums during the same period
BUSINESS
Only 17 of 25 life insurers complied with IRDAI expense norms in FY25
During FY25, the life insurance industry reported gross expenses of management of Rs 1.38 lakh crore, accounting for 15.60 percent of total gross premium
BUSINESS
Life insurance penetration dips to 2.7% in FY25, overall penetration flat
Private sector life insurers outpaced the broader market, recording a 12.07 percent growth in premium income in 2025
BUSINESS
Year Ender | India’s 2025 FDI story in insurance: Exits overwhelm inflows as net FDI dips
But even as headline foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows remained robust, a surge in exits and capital repatriation altered the investment narrative in 2025
BUSINESS
RBI tightens grip on payment ecosystem as digital transactions near 98% of total payments
Paper-based instruments such as cheques now represent just 2.4 percent of transaction value.
BUSINESS
PSU general insurance merger likely still at preliminary stage
Industry officials familiar with the matter say the government is still at a preliminary assessment stage, with no formal execution plan or timeline in place
